"Twenty five percent of the population said that their consumer rights had been violated in 2015 - 29% bought a defective product and 22% said that they had bought a faulty service," said Justice Minister Juozas Bernatonis, when presenting the results of a survey of consumers and businesses.

According to the poll, a mere 6% of the population last year turned to consumer bodies with irregularities found in 23% of cases referred to the bodies.

Nearly half, 44% of all complaints were over the quality of food products.

"On the positive side, people are slightly more aware of where to complain, but they are still insufficiently active (in defending their rights)," Bernatonis said.

The public opinion and market research centre Vilmorus polled 1,005 people at the end of last year for the survey.